Illinois Truck Speed Bill Vetoed

Heavy-duty trucks traveling through Illinois highways may drive no faster than 55 mph, after Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich gathered up the support to kill the bill that would have upped the limit to 65 mph— the same speed as passenger vehicles are allowed.

The successful veto is a victory for advocates of safety, the Governor said.

“Raising the speed limit for trucks would have meant more accidents, more injuries, and more deaths on our roads,” Blagojevich said, adding that an additional 111 people would have died in accidents per year had the new speed limit passed.